1. Writing your introduction!!!
Thematic Essay
Writing your introduction!!!

2. First, you need to pick your theme.
Theme= a lesson the reader learns from the text; a universal truth; always written as a statement.
Ex: Life decisions can be hard.
Life has many roads
Regret can stifle a life.
Courage can be seen in unlikely people
*Notice that these are complete sentences.
Topics= one or two broad words
Ex: Choices, regret, journeys, adventure, love, happiness, empathy, isolation, courage
*What message about the topics is the writer trying to portray?

3. Structuring your intro:
Hook
Use a historical fact about the genocide from one of the handouts I gave you and cite it.
Use a statistic about Guatemala.
Write down something you learned about the genocide.
Relate the genocide to other historical events.
Start by telling readers that many people do not know about it.
Mention something about the United States’ involvement.

4. Link Hook to Background
Background (3-4 sentences)
Mention Title and Author
Summarize main characters, setting, plot
1980s Guatemala
EX: In Ben Mikaelson’s novel, Tree Girl, he introduces readers to Gabriela, a fifteen-year old Mayan girl, from Guatemala…

5. Topic + writer’s message
Thesis/claim
Last sentence of your introduction!!
Follow this template:
Topic + writer’s message
EX: Survival + in these situations, you have to do things you would not ordinarily do.
BECOMES: In Ben Mikaelson’s novel, he shows readers that in order to survive, people must go great lengths and do extraordinary things in order to survive life-and-death situations like genocide.

6. Thesis/claim Practice: Topic + message
Rewrite in a complete sentence without using second person you.
In Ben Mikaelson’s novel, he portrays an important theme:
OR In Ben Mikaelson’s novel, he shows readers that …
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